Oatmeal Bread from my Neighbor

Oatmeal Bread from my Neighbor

I have lived in the country most of my life.  I understand the phenomenon known as the “farmer wave.”  I even do it, when I am driving past someone I like. I understand that all my neighbors know what my vehicle looks like.  I can identify more than 75% of my neighbors by their cars or tractors.

I live in Iowa, so close neighbors are the ones who either live in the same section you live in or with you in that area between the next paved road…in all four directions. We have lots of neighbors, don’t be misled by my description… not all neighbors are close friends.  You have good neighbors and those are the ones you trust to do your chores, ask for help and go to help them without being asked.

We watch out for each other in the country.  We also share what we have available with each other.  We have passed along tomatoes, pepper and green beans when they were prolific producers with those who live close to us.

When the Farmer Boy and I were first dating, I was an import. I grew up 120 miles to the northwest of my husband. We met in Old RCA housing on the ISU campus.  I was however getting married to a neighbor and just because of that I was accepted into our community that crosses between the two local towns and has grown to a third where we go to church.  I knew I would be okay in my new neighborhood because so many of those folks we invited to our wedding two hours away actually came to see us be married and celebrate with us. 

As I settled in, to my husband’s horror, I gave an elderly neighbor with six apple trees a call to see if she would swap some of my garden produce for some of her windfall apples. She had sent a wedding card with a line or two saying she missed the Farmer Boy’s grandmother who had lived across the section. I thought maybe we could be friends a few generations apart. She didn’t need my produce because her son kept her supplied from his town garden.  I went with 2 buckets thinking I would get just enough for a few quarts of canned apples and a pie or two.  I came home with her bushel baskets and my buckets filled with apples fresh off the tree. I took the baskets back to her as soon as I could. 

I went every year I could make freezing or canning apples work in my schedule to see my neighbor who is a plain spoken and honest soul.  She would tell me stories of milking cows and when they built the house on the farm that she lived in. She told me about her husband (who my farmer boy thought a lot of from his childhood) and how they built their farm.  She would update me on the events and passings in her large family of siblings.  She would give advice when she had it for how I felt life was just too busy. I enjoyed sharing a cup of really hot tea with her before I would go pick apples.  I enjoyed visits with her and would try to stop in when I had time. I shared my attempt at making apple butter and gave her some single serving sized jars of canned beef that were a better thing to share than the apple butter.  I was sad when she decided to move to the nursing home in town.  I am ashamed to say my visits to see her have not been as often as they should be. 

I was thrilled when her grandson’s family moved out to her farm.  Two more kids on the bus is always a good thing when the average age in the section is over 50. We enjoy doing an occasional yard bonfire with them and watching their horses as they work with them and go for rides down our gravel road.  Neighboring changes with the neighbors you know.

My neighbor is still sharp and loves a hot cup of tea.  I love her Oatmeal bread recipe. It reminds me of our good visits, hearty laughs and shared enjoyments of simple things.  She wrote it almost from memory when she found out that I love to bake bread on one visit.  I’ve added an egg to the version she gave me, but it works pretty well without it, too. My family recommends this for cheese sandwiches for a fast breakfast or a quick picnic.  It is especially good with smoked ham or turkey for a school lunch box.  I bet it would even be good for a thick cut BLT or made into hamburger buns.

However you make it, consider that it makes two very large or three large loaves – just perfect for being a good neighbor and sharing.

Henrietta’s Oatmeal Bread

The Groceries:

1 Cup Oatmeal

2 Cups Boiling Water

3T Butter or Margarine or Shortening

2/3 C Brown Sugar

1 t Salt

1 Egg, lightly beaten

1 Cup warm water

1 T sugar

1 Package Rapid Rise Yeast

Flour to make a stiff dough

The Process:

Combine the oatmeal with the boiling water. 

Add butter, salt and brown sugar to the oatmeal mixture. Stir well and set to side until cool.

Add egg to the oatmeal mixture when cooled.

Add sugar and yeast to 1 C warm water and let yeast activate and begin to bubble.

Combine the two wet mixtures and begin stiring flour into the liquids until a stiff dough forms. 

Knead until smooth and divide dough into two loaf shape and place in well-buttered loaf pans.

Let rise until double in size.

Bake at 350 degrees Ferenheit 30-45 minutes. 

Top should be well browned and sound hollow when tapped.

Let sit for 5 minutes and then remove from the pans to completely cool on a wire cooling rack.

Don’t forget to eat warm with plenty of butter.